Friday, May 18, 2007

I'm back, and can I just say I'm, like, the luckiest person on the planet? I mean, you know I've always wanted to do the RBtheBook thing on a larger scale -- let more people know how great romance is -- but my little overnite to LA really showed me that I'm pretty blessed to be hooked up with Lifetime Television and their dot com team.

These kids -- and I have to say kids, cause I think I was at least ten years older than everybody I worked with -- are incredibly bright and have remarkable ideas about how to celebrate romance, and get viewers excited about the great stuff reading it brings to our lives.

And on top of it all, they're just nice folks, and I've heard through the grapevine that Lifetime Television's corporate culture is pretty much kinder and gentler than what one would might expect in the TV industry.

So, did I think of you while I was doing the Jackie Collins interview? You betcha. I like wanted to jump online to say, "my God, this is so surreal." But the event went beautifully and she is an absolute charmer. I mean, it's clear she's self-possessed and isn't anyone's fool. But she seems to draw good people to her, too, if her assistant and publicist are any indication. And she's really beautiful, and very approachable.

I can't wait to see the finished product, cause she is a total blast. Wait til you hear what she has to say about the whole Paris Hilton thing. I mean, I didn't even know there was a Paris Hilton thing. I really need to get out more.

Since I don't have any photos to show you of yesterday -- you know I'm terrible w/ that stuff -- here are a few from Washington Romance Writers, sent by Katheryn Caskie. I'll try to give you her descriptions.

Ask away: What do you want to know about the Jackie Collins interview? My question: If you could have lunch with any celebrity or "author celebrity" who'd it be?

Kathy's Photo Captions: ULeft, "Michelle grows a foot and joins the Norwegian basketball team." (That's Kathy's best friend and Regency authoress extraordinaire, Sophia Nash). Next, R, "Romance Jeopardy team looking snockered." (Julia Quinn and I managed to lose the most points for our team -- the most lost of any team, I think. I forgot the 'phrase it in a question' thing in Dbl Jeop. Next, L, "Kathy and Lisa Gardner," (who I'm dyin to have GuestBlog here. Funny, smart woman. Last, R, me and Jeanne Adams, WRW Retreat chair.Oh, and Diana Peterfreund and me. She's the originator of EBWAR (Everything's Better w/Alan Rickman).

***Encore! Grazie Kathryn Jordan for visiting and updating us on "Hot Water" and "Steam." Can't wait to hear what's next for you and your male escort hottie, William. You know what we mean.

Encore due!vivi anna; pearl; abookworm : you've each won a prize from Kathryn! Send me your snail mails at mbuonfiglio@RBtheBook.com and Kathryn will contact you about your prizes. Congratulazione, Bellas!

34 comments:

Hey Michelle, welcome back. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. So, was the interview at Jackie's house? If so, what does her house look like? (I'm imagining lots of leopard print *g*). What did you eat? What books did you talk about (other than hers)? Who are her favorite hot, wet men?

Oh Michelle, I think I want to know all the same things Stacy does about your interview with the fabulous Jackie! The clothes? The food? The glamour?

Lunch with a celeb? Well, I think you know who I'd like to lunch with... he's not a writer to my knowledge, but I'd love to have lunch, tea, dinner and oooh la la, *breakfast* with the divine Vincenzo!

Welcome back, Stace! Well, we didn't have lunch, so sorry to give that impression. Didn't want to ask the question, who'd you like to interview, cause lunch is more fun: you don't have to research or write any prep stuff. :)

So, her home -- which you'll have a tour of on LifetimeTV.com -- has lots of white marble, and the foyer is enormous, with a very high cathedral ceiling. Skylights everywhere, and gorgeous modern art -- paintings, sculpture -- as well as lovely antique/ancient buddahs and egyptian stuff.

Lots of sculpted and stylized panthers -- Lucky Santangelo's movie studio was Panther Studios, but there may be greater meaning for Collins. Beautiful white baby grand in one room. We shot in her study, where she writes. It's very warm, with leather and woods, and walls lined with lit and family albums and awards; very homey.

Nothing was over-the-top in the home. She's got walls of celebrity photos, many of which she's taken, including lots with the stars of her books to movies.

And here's the thing. She welcomed us into her home, a crew of four and myself, tons of equipment. She let the crew -- what nice folks, three guys and this adorable young woman who had the hair of my dreams, that curly stuff? -- pretty much tear apart her room to re-set it. And JC was like, is there anything else I can do for you?

I don't know. I've been in the homes of some "old money" in which folks made is so very clear they tolerated one's presence even thought you'd been on the guest list. But JC, totally self-made -- by her own proud claim -- is just a warm, class act, as it were.

And when it all comes down to it, JC is a writer -- as she puts it, more storyteller, not a trained writer -- but nonetheless, she observes and is awfully smart. In all that, she's just like the author chicks who hang with us here all the time.

Um, except she's a Hollywood icon. But other than that... :)

WendyPortia, hmmm, is that Breakfast in Bed? Or is that STO (stating the obvious). I have a renewed appreciation for your Vincenzo, Wendy. I used to only think of him as the alien guy in Men in Black. But now, mmmm, he's so big and strapping and mischievous looking. Like he could really pick a girl up and kinda toss her around in the best way, ya know? I've got a friend who likes the Rock for the very same reason.

Michelle - I love the little jacket you're wearing in the photos! Only skinny women can pull off cutie jackets like that!

I'm so glad the interview with Jackie went well. So, now the most important question: what did you wear??? Didya get your nails and hair done first??

Stace - I'm really, really late to the ballgame, but I'm reading PASSION by Lisa Valdez. Holy cow this book is smokin' hot. Shocking even. Beautifully written, and the opening scene is a humdinger! I picked it up after Amy was talking about it, and boy am I glad I did! I also picked up one of Kresley Cole's vampire books to keep me company this weekend.

Author celebrity to have lunch with? Nora Roberts. We don't even have to talk about writing. I'd be glad to talk about whatever.

Oh Michelle, now you've done it! I won't be able to write a word this afternoon without it turning into Vincenzo sweeping me off my feet and tossing me about in a nice way! Mmmm....

I recently read Passion, MaryKate, and I do agree with you about it. It's shockingly explicit [even to *me*!] but the emotion in it is fabulous and deeply wrought... I even felt tearful once or twice. And it's such a page turner. One of those books you just have to keep reading until you've finished! I'd definitely recommend it.

At the moment I'm reading A Gentleman's Wager, by my Black Lace buddy, Madelynne Ellis. And this is a fabulous book too! A genuinely likeable feisty heroine, who's naughty but engaging, and not one but two stunning guys who are involved with her in a menage. I haven't got to it yet, but I know there's some hot m/m action ahead... It's another one I just won't be able to put down until I'm done!

Happy Friday, all! If I could have lunch with any author celebrity, I would have to have a big table because I would choose my top favorite authors: Zinnia Hope, Laurell K. Hamilton, Kelley Armstrong & Kim Harrison.

I loved SoT but I was as much fascinated by Roanna as by Webb. I just kept thinking about the whole "marrying your cousin" thing and wondered if their children would have 8 toes on each foot or something. It's not my fave LH book but I'm definitely glad I read it. And because it's set here in north Alabama it was easy to picture the scenery and the whole old family wealth and social status thing. My family has neither so I was just an outsider looking in. *g*

Yeah, MaryKate, I agree that Passion is just as explicit, if not more explicit than most women's erotica and erotic romance in terms of language and detailed sexual description... and there's no 'guidance' message on it or anything. From the cover, it just looks like a mildly sexy historical. And yeah, the novelty of a woman actually being called 'Passion' wears off quickly! Good book though, very good book...

Me, I'm working on Gothic Heat, the sequel [sort of] to my erotic paranormal Gothic Blue... Quite a challenge returning to a setting and characters I created over a decade ago... but fun! I've only just started it though, and it's not scheduled for publication until April '08. My next title out will be Suite Seventeen, in Aug, and I've got one or two other things in the pipeline. Oh, and a mini ebook from Phaze on 26th June, Eyes of Desire!

Ack, sorry, I'm hogging the thread... I'd better shut up and let some others get a word in. LOL

Michelle! It does all sound so surreal--but also I am so happy that she was/is a lovely person and that it all went well.

Marilyn, I was going to say Michelle too! How's Mom?

This is a tough question--I liked Stacia's answers--except I haven't read Zinnia Hope--I guess I will now. The rest are some of my faves as well. I feel as if I've been able to have lunch (or coffee) with so many great authors just from your blog Michelle.

Yay--MK finally read a book after I did! Her name never bothered me--I really want to read her sister's (Patience) story as well. Portia, I find it so interresting that you found it "shockingly explicit"--because it was, and why shouldn't you find it as such, but for some reason I said to myself, "Ooh, even Portia found it shocking." It's as if that made it even more shocking.

Mom's doing great and thanks for asking. I leave tomorrow and I'm not sure what's gonna happen. My sister lives here but she has her own CPA business along with being comptroller for an interior design firm. I'm sure she can pop in when necessary since her office is 5 minutes away in one direction and her home is 5 minutes in the other. I spent yesterday morning tracking down a bath chair for my mom. And when she pulled out her checkbook to pay me for it I just said "Happy Mother's Day." I hadn't been able to get her a gift what with the trip here. So this was something she needed. Am I a special daughter or what????? *g*

Only skinny women can pull off cutie jackets like that! MK, I'll interpret that as, "chicks with unimpressive decolletage."

That's what I meant! LOL!

Marilyn - A few years ago, after my mom's back surgery, I bought her a "potty chair." Clearly you and I have the same idea of what's a good Mother's Day present. I know my Mom was never so happy as the day she was able to donate the potty chair to the church rummage sale. ;oP

It's not so much the 'acts' in Passion that I found shocking, really... it's more the description of what I call the 'plumbing'... LOL!

I usually don't like *too* much plumbing in a book... I prefer the hotness of the mind to genital description... but somehow, in Passion, the detailed degree of description seems to work, I don't quite know why. I think it's because it's unselfconscious somehow, because it isn't an erotic novel. It's just treated as a natural way to describe things...

Hi, Keira! I will be at RWA, but I'm not giving any workshops. We'll be there shooting broadband video interviews with authors for four days, plus I'll be moderating a Celebrate Romance with Avon authors event for the Plan TX Library system.

I'm hoping to figure out a time to hang with any Bellas and friends who'd like to hook up, maybe at the bar (shocking) or something. I have to prove to the LifetimeTV.com folks that you guys really exist, you know, and that I'm not just making up the fun we have here. Plus, I'm gonna need a cocktail.

Oh, Marilyn! You've become so naughty! See, I knew the minute Portia started hangin around she was gonna lead us down the (English) garden path. And, Play, I'm really glad you're mom's doing OK. You're a great daughter, and nothing says love on mother's day like a place for your mom to sit... and do anything, really, MK. You're a good daughter, too.

Hey, Jules! I'm with you, I'd love to have a Bella get together. OMG, how much would we laugh? We'll have to come up with a menu so when the day comes we don't have to worry. Cause we won't be thinkin cyber-ritas and cyber-male escorts then, will we ladies, hmmm???

Michelle, that's a fantastic news!! Authors getting video publicity and readers getting to see and hear the wonderful people behind the books they love. This is far better than reading interviews in print.

Ah, stories you tell that you shouldn't... Hm, meeting in a bar is sounding better and better.